by Lynn LaFleur
“I’ll massage them for you.”
She shifted until she faced him. “Such a sacrifice you’re willing to make.”
“It’s a tough job…”
He grinned while Teanna laughed. He loved the sound of her laughter, the way it made her eyes shine. Tenderness and love welled up inside him, feelings so strong that they had to be expressed. He cradled her cheek in one palm. “I love you, Teanna.”
The laughter abruptly died in her eyes. James tensed, worried he’d admitted his love too soon. He was certain he’d fucked up when her eyes filled with tears.
Then she smiled and touched his lips with her fingertips. “I love you too,” she whispered.
James kissed her softly, then drew her into his arms and held her close to him. Admitting his love wasn’t the only thing he needed to say to Teanna. He didn’t like lying to her about his identity, his past. It was time he told her the truth.
Tonight, after the symphony, he’d tell her everything.
Chapter Eleven
The sound of rain hitting the window seeped into Teanna’s consciousness. She cracked open one eye and looked at the clock. Ten before seven. She groaned. It couldn’t be possible for her to be awake so soon. It had been after two before she fell asleep.
Falling back to sleep would be impossible now that she was awake. That didn’t mean she couldn’t cuddle with James. She turned over so she could wrap her arm around his waist. He wasn’t there.
She propped up on one elbow and looked around the bedroom. She didn’t see him, but she smelled coffee. That proved he had to be close by.
Teanna climbed from the bed and slipped into the white terry cloth robe supplied by the hotel. After taking care of bathroom necessities and brushing her teeth, she padded out of the bedroom. She saw James sitting at the dining room table, also wearing one of the hotel’s thick robes. A newspaper lay open on the table. He held one corner of it while he sipped from a heavy mug.
A mental picture flashed through her head of seeing James like this every morning for the rest of her life. Warmth flowed through her body at the pleasant image.
He looked up when she walked closer. A slow smile turned up his lips. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” She bent over and kissed him softly. He tasted of coffee and mint toothpaste. “You’re up early.”
“Thought I’d let you sleep in while I read the paper.” He wrapped his arm around her waist. “Want coffee?”
“I’ll get it. Do you want a refill?”
“I’m fine.”
She couldn’t resist kissing him again before she went into the kitchen for her coffee. He folded the newspaper in half and pushed it aside when she sat across the table from him. “Hungry? We can order breakfast in or go out. Your choice.”
“Neither yet. I just want to drink my coffee and enjoy the view.”
“You aren’t facing the window.”
She propped her elbows on the table and held her mug with both hands. “Who said anything about looking out the window?”
James smiled. “Why, Ms. Caldwell. Are you flirting with me?”
“Shamelessly.”
He winked at her and leaned back in his chair. His robe gaped open, giving her a mouth-watering view of his chest. She didn’t think she’d ever tire of looking at him.
“I’m sorry about last night.” She set her mug on the table. “You said you wanted to talk to me and I conked out after we made love.”
“That’s okay,” he said, his voice tender. “That last round of lovemaking zapped me too.”
“It was wonderful. The entire evening was wonderful.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“I did. But I’m wide awake now. What did you want to talk to me about?”
He didn’t say anything for several moments. “Let’s go in the living room and get comfortable.”
A feeling of unease skittered down her spine at the apprehension in his eyes. “Is everything okay?”
He stood and held out a hand to her. “Come with me.”
Teanna took his hand and let him lead her to the couch in the living room. She sat facing him, her knees drawn up to her chest. He sat next to her, one knee on the couch, one arm stretched along the back behind her.
“You’ve asked me about my past and I’ve avoided giving you any answers. I don’t want to do that any more. I want to be honest with you.” He curled a lock of her hair around his finger. “Do you remember before we made love the first time, when I told you I’d fantasized about your body?”
She nodded. “I remember.”
“What I didn’t tell you is that I’d been fantasizing about you for three months.”
That didn’t make any sense. She’d known James for only a few hours before they made love the first time. “I don’t understand.”
“I saw you at The Tarot Café in December.”
“You saw me… What?”
“I was the guy by the fireplace, the one wearing the hat.”
She couldn’t believe that. The man by the fireplace and James looked nothing alike. “He had a beard and wore glasses. I couldn’t see a lot of his hair, but enough to know it was blond.”
“Yeah, it was, and halfway to my waist. I shaved off my beard and had my hair cut and dyed brown. I had LASIK performed a couple of months ago.”
A man wouldn’t completely change his appearance for no reason. “Why did you do all that? Are you in Witness Protection or something?”
James chuckled. “No, nothing that dramatic.” He continued to wrap the curl around his finger, over and over. “I wanted a different life. The only way I could get that was to change the way I looked so I wouldn’t be recognized. So I changed my appearance along with my name.”
“Your name isn’t James Parker?”
“Actually, it’s Parker James. That’s my first and middle name.”
That feeling of unease turned into a ball in the pit of her stomach. She knew what his answer would be before she asked her next question. “What’s your last name?”
He hesitated for several seconds. “Kendall.”
Parker James Kendall, better known as the leader of The P.J. Kendall Band and famous all over the world.
Becca had been right.
James’ eyebrows drew together. “You don’t seem surprised.”
“I’m not. I mean, Becca told me—“
“Becca told you?” he asked, his eyes wide.
“She suspects it. She told me that yesterday.”
Teanna saw his throat work as he swallowed. “How? What did I do to give myself away?”
“Nothing in particular. It was a series of little things that added up for her. Remember I told you she’s a huge P.J. Kendall fan. If anyone could figure it out, it would be Becca.”
“Shit,” James muttered. “I’ve done everything I could think of to hide my identity.”
“She won’t say anything to anyone. Becca is very discreet. Besides, she doesn’t know for sure. She only suspects it. And I won’t tell her the truth.”
“Thank you,” he said softly.
Hearing James’ confession should have solved everything. Yet the ball in Teanna’s stomach stubbornly remained in place. She had so many questions, she didn’t know where to start.
James cradled her neck in his palm. “I know you have questions. Ask me whatever you want to.”
The love and sincerity in his eyes urged her to continue. “How did you stage your death?”
“I didn’t. It was a freak accident. I had a leak in my gas line. When I turned on the ignition, the spark caused the fumes to ignite. I was thrown into the water. I climbed onto one of my friend’s boats and passed out.”
“You were hurt?”
“I had a hell of a headache when I woke up, but I was fine other than some bruises and cuts.”
“What did you do when you woke up? Why didn’t you tell someone you were alive?”
“I’d planned to. That was my last thought before I pass
ed out, that I had to let someone know I was okay. But I decided to stay hidden on my friend’s boat for a day or two, until the authorities gave up looking for me at the marina. It gave me the chance to think about my life and how I wanted to live the rest of it. Luckily Bud kept his boat well stocked with canned food and bottled water. I left him a note saying I was going out on my boat for a few days and borrowed some supplies. I knew he’d assume I got the stuff before the explosion, not after.”
He brushed his thumb across her jaw. “The band’s first single went gold in four weeks. The second went platinum in three weeks. Every concert was sold out within minutes of the tickets going on sale. That kind of success so quickly for a bunch of young guys was overwhelming. Money poured in. I spent it as quickly as I earned it for the first couple of years, until I learned to listen to my brother Rusty and started socking some into savings.”
“Your nice nest egg?”
“Yeah.” He looked away from her. Teanna could tell from the sudden tenseness in his body that whatever he would say next was something he didn’t want to tell her.
“We partied after every concert.” He met her gaze again. “There were drugs and booze…and women. A lot of women.”
His confession didn’t surprise her. A man as handsome as James must have had a number of lovers in his life.
Leaning toward her, he rested one hand on her knee. “I swear I’m clean now. I haven’t done any drugs in months. And no women. I haven’t wanted any other woman since I saw you at The Tarot Café.”
She believed him. His eyes were too earnest for him to be lying. “Whatever happened with other women before we met is none of my business.”
“I still want you to know everything. I want to be completely honest with you.” He reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers. “I’d been feeling restless and unhappy for several months. I’d partied with the guys in my band after our San Francisco concert in December. The next morning, I woke up in bed with two women. I was in an apartment three blocks from my hotel. I had no idea how I got there. I couldn’t remember anything past drinking with the guys in my suite. It scared the shit out of me. That’s when I knew I’d lost control of my whole life.”
Teanna squeezed his hand in support. James lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed the back. “As soon as I got home, I went to my doctor for a complete physical. I never had unprotected sex, but I couldn’t be sure I didn’t with those two women since I couldn’t remember anything that happened. He gave me a clean bill of health, thank God. After that, I told Rusty I was going to take a break during the Christmas holiday and go out on my boat. He offered to go out with me. I turned him down. I wanted to be alone to think. That’s when the accident happened.”
“So you decided to take advantage of the fact that the world thought you were dead.”
He nodded. “I had to change my life or destroy it.”
“Changing your life meant changing your name. You used a credit card when we checked in yesterday. How did you manage that under a phony name?”
“Rusty helped me get the I.D. He knows some…interesting people. He opened a new credit card account and added me as an authorized user. I charge whatever I need to. The bill goes to him and he pays it. I opened a checking account under my new name. He’s on it too, so he can transfer money when I need it. He was already on all my other accounts, including vehicle titles and house deeds. I’m on all of his too. We did that four years ago when our parents died.”
“But you’re on the accounts as Parker James Kendall, not James Parker. You have no access to anything.”
“Which is why it’s a good thing we planned in advance. Rusty can sell my houses, vehicles, whatever, and put the funds in the old joint account. When I need money, he’ll transfer it to the new account.”
“You aren’t worried about getting caught?”
“Rusty won’t sell anything for a long time. Neither of us needs the money. He’s always been a tightwad. I don’t need much, other than my cabin and gas for my SUV. I make more than enough at the store to pay for those.”
“This suite isn’t in a Caldwell salary budget.”
James smiled. “I get to dip into the nest egg and splurge every once in a while on the woman I love.”
She gazed about the spacious room. “Must be quite a nest egg to afford this.”
“With real estate, stocks, investments, cash on hand and in the bank, I’m worth about twenty million.”
“Twenty mil… Wow.”
He grinned. “See? I’m a great catch.” His grin faded as quickly as it had appeared. “It’s meaningless if I don’t have you in my life.”
His tender words brought a lump to her throat. “I’m so glad you decided to stop in Lanville during your travels.”
“I didn’t decide to stop in Lanville. I drove there specifically to find you.” He frowned. “I guess that makes me sound like a stalker.”
“No, not at all. But you didn’t know who I was or where I lived.”
“Becca left one of your business cards on the table at the restaurant.”
Teanna had no idea her friend had done that. “Are you serious?”
“Yeah. I picked it up and put it in my pocket. I still carry it in my wallet.” He ran his thumb over her lower lip. “I fell in love with you the first time I saw you, Teanna. I had to find you. I knew my life wouldn’t be worth living without you.”
Such sweet words deserved a kiss. Teanna lowered her legs so she could get closer to him. She kissed him tenderly, pouring all her love into it. She moved her mouth one way, then the other, using her tongue and teeth to entice him.
James slipped his hand inside her robe and cupped her breast. He thumbed her nipple. Each pass of his thumb sent a zing to her clit.
“I want you,” he said against her lips.
She lay back eagerly when he lowered her to the couch. He untied her robe and parted the lapels. His gaze passed over her body. “You’re so beautiful, Teanna.”
The love in his eyes made her feel beautiful. Tunneling her fingers into his hair, she lifted her head until their lips met again. He pulled away from her long enough to open his robe, then he stretched out on top of her, bare skin to bare skin. His kiss turned hungry, his tongue dueled with hers. His cock grew thick and hard against her stomach.
James rose to his knees between her legs. He shucked his robe and tossed it to the floor. Her pussy clenched at the sight of his nude body.
“We either have to move this to the bedroom or I’ll go get a condom and be right back.”
They’d used protection every time they’d made love. Teanna didn’t want anything separating them…not anymore. She ran her hands over his thighs, his hips, his stomach. “Make love to me. Here. Now.”
Heat flared in his eyes. He once more lay on top of her. She spread her legs wide, making room for him between them. He slid his shaft up and down her labia, brushing her clit with every movement.
“Do you want me inside you?”
She clutched his upper arms and arched her hips. “Yes.”
“You need to be nice and wet first.”
He had to be kidding. Her pussy was so wet now, it almost dripped. “That isn’t a problem.”
“I think I’d better make sure.”
Before Teanna could say anything else, James leaned down and swiped his tongue across her clit. She arched her hips even higher at the intense sensation. He growled low in his throat.
“I love the way you taste.”
He dropped to his knees on the floor. Dragging her butt halfway off the couch, he gripped it tightly and feasted on her pussy. His tongue darted inside her channel, her ass, back to her clit. He licked her fast, then slow, then fast again. Low growls continued deep in his throat. The sound vibrated against her labia. That, combined with his expert licking, and she knew it wouldn’t take her long to come.
James pushed a finger into her ass. That was the last thing she needed to drive her over the edge. She grabbed his head and
bucked against his mouth. Pleasure rushed through her body so quickly, it left her lightheaded. She closed her eyes while trying to catch her breath.
She opened them again when James took her hands and tugged her into a sitting position. One more tug and she stood on shaky legs. He pushed her robe off her shoulders to fall on the floor. Holding her hands again, he sat on the couch and pulled her down to straddle his lap. Teanna grasped his rod at the base and impaled herself.
Satin-wrapped steel, warm and pulsing, filled her channel. She held his shoulders and stared into his eyes as she began to move. He gripped her buttocks and lifted his hips, thrusting up when she moved down. She soon established a rhythm with him, lifting as he withdrew, lowering as he pumped. He brushed her clit with every thrust.
Pushing aside her hair, he fastened his mouth to her neck and sucked. Her pussy clenched with each movement of his lips.
“I love you,” he whispered directly into her ear.
Goose bumps scattered across her skin at the feel of his warm breath. She picked up the pace, bouncing on his cock in time with his thrusts. Sweat broke out on her forehead, upper lip, between her breasts. Still she kept moving, faster and faster.
“That’s the way,” James said. He gripped her ass tighter. “Fuck me hard. Let me feel that sweet pussy grab my cock.”
“Oh God!” Teanna threw back her head. She ground her mound against the base of his shaft, searching for that last bit of stimulation to drive her over the top.
“Do you want me to suck your clit?”
Simply hearing the words was enough. Pleasure sped through her body once more. She jerked and trembled while the waves washed over her again and again.
The sound of James’ loud moan brought her back to reality. She could feel his cock pulsing inside her, his warm cum filling her. She clung tightly to his shoulders, dropping soft kisses on his jaw and neck while he rode out his climax.
“Jesus,” he muttered. His breath sounded harsh and labored. “That was…intense.”
“Yes it was.”
He ran his hands over her ass, her hips, up to her breasts. “No woman has ever affected me as strongly as you do, Teanna. Orgasms have always felt good, but I’ve never felt like the top of my head was gonna blow off when I came.”